The present invention relates to an opening roof hatch for a collapsible car roof or a fixed car roof, comprising at least one movable panel displaceable from an opening.
In motor cars with a conventional roof hatch or so-called sun roof which is opened in a rearward direction towards the luggage compartment, the roof hatch is of planar design and presupposes that the vehicle has a substantially planar roof in order that the roof hatch be able to be opened to its full extent.
Vehicles of a sports car nature, such as convertibles or cabriolets with a collapsible or fixed car roof are often fitted with roofs that are arched about an axis transversely directed in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The roofs on these cars are often short and split towards the rear window in order that these sections can be collapsed down into the luggage compartment by an angling in a pivot or joint between the luggage compartment and the roof.
Many vehicles of such type which have an arched roof that is short in the longitudinal direction of the car cannot employ a conventional flat roof hatch since a roof hatch of planar design which is opened in the longitudinal direction of the car would only achieve minimal opening for the roof hatch in its open position, since the arching of the roof obstructs the full opening of the roof hatch.
Further, a car roof hatch collapsed down into the luggage compartment takes up a considerable part of the load carrying area in the luggage compartment because of its bulky nature, which encroaches on the remaining available space when luggage is loaded.
It is desirable to design the roof hatch intimated by way of introduction so that it obviates the drawbacks inherent in prior art technology. Further, it is desirable to realise an opening roof hatch for vehicles whose roof design is relatively emphatically arched and which lacks substantially planar roof sections. It is desirable to realise extra storage space in the luggage compartment of vehicles with collapsible roofs.
In a roof hatch according to an aspect of the present invention the panel is movable in the transverse direction of the vehicle.